In many industries utilizing bulk particulate materials, such materials often are stored and transported in large bags having a set of straps on the upper ends thereof for suspending them and elongated spouts on the lower ends thereof through which material may be discharged. Such spouts usually are closed by a rope or other suitable means adjacent the base ends thereof, and folded up against the bottom walls of the bags. Typically, such bags are stored on pallets in storage areas. When it is desirable to use such material, perhaps for a processing operation using a blender, reactor or other vessel, the bags are lifted, transported to the processing site and positioned above the vessel into which the material is to be dispensed, a handler reaches under the bag and unties the rope restricting the flow of material through the spout and the material is allowed to gravity flow through the spout into the vessel. Such practice, however, has not been found to be entirely satisfactory in several respects. Typically, there is very limited working space below a bag suspended over a vessel to permit the handler to easily maneuver and release the rope restraining the flow of material through the spout. Furthermore, the material often will not flow freely out of the bag or will flow uncontrollably, adversely affecting the process operation, particularly when seeking to blend the particulate material with a liquid. In addition, it often is hazardous for the handler to work below a suspended bag to either release the spout for discharging the material or induce flow of poorly flowing or clogged material.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved system and method of storing, transporting and discharging bulk particulate material in which the material may be easily transported to its dispensing site and readily discharged, and the material handler at the dispensing site will not be exposed to any hazardous conditions in freeing the spout or inducing the gravity flow of poorly flowing or clogged material.